Floor Finishes and waxes are composed of two main parts - - volatile and non-volatile. Volatile: Those ingredients that evaporate after the finish is put down. These are primarily water and solvents.
Non-Volatile: Those ingredients that remain on the floor after all the volatiles evaporate. Because of this a 25% solids finish will leave a thicker film when dry than an 18% solids finish (39% more).
Solids are made up of the following:
Polymers- The acrylic portion
Polyethylene waxes- Synthetic wax portion
Resins- Contributes to leveling and some gloss
Emulsifiers- Allow the polymers, etc. to mix with water
Drying Agents- Help promote drying and bonding
Zinc- Provides extra detergent resistance and makes stripping easier
Fillers- Inexpensive chemicals that add to the solids content but do not contribute to gloss, durability,etc.